Utility workers are not the enemy
I am writing as a concerned member of this community and as a utility communications technician who works on this equipment with my own hands. Recent vandalism targeting electric transmission structures and fiber-optic communications equipment should concern all of us. This was not harmless property damage; it was an attack on critical infrastructure that our community relies on.
Fortunately, no customers lost power. Significant El Paso Electric investments in reliability, redundancy and self-healing restoration kept the network operating. That did not erase the consequences. Crews inspected, secured and repaired the damage. Every worker diverted to vandalism is unavailable for other critical work.
Shooting and damaging utility equipment is no joke. Under Texas law, intentionally damaging critical infrastructure can lead to felony charges.
I understand the frustration over higher summer bills — I pay one too. Extreme heat increases electricity use, and family budgets are under pressure. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data show grocery prices are about 24% higher than five years ago. That does not dismiss concerns about electric rates; it means those concerns should be discussed with facts and respect, never gunfire or vandalism.
Growing up in El Paso, I have always known this community as a labor town. We were taught to respect people who worked with their hands. In my earliest memories, “los de la luz” were admired for the dangerous work they performed, right alongside police officers and schoolteachers. They left their families, worked in extreme heat and bad weather, and put themselves in dangerous situations so the rest of us could be comfortable at home.
Words matter, and they can have real consequences. Please think carefully about what you post and share on social media. When working people are constantly portrayed as the enemy, that anger can spill into the real world and endanger people like me who are out there in extreme conditions keeping the lights on.
Debate rates. Question policies. Hold institutions accountable. But the grid is not a political symbol, and utility workers are not the enemy. We are your neighbors. We have families waiting for us at home, and we deserve to return safely to them.
Eddie Trevizo
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers 960
City can’t keep up with growing demands
City government is working on a new city budget. Why should taxpayers be concerned? Because our taxes will likely increase.
Our city can’t rely on other avenues in balancing the budget such as tourism because it’s non-existence. No, the I-10 Deck Plaza will not help with the budget, if constructed it will be a financial burden.
Our city is growing at a pace that it can’t keep up with the demands that are required to secure the city’s financial future. As the city grows the demand for electricity, gas and water increases, rates go up. The new housing areas don’t generate sufficient funds to support necessary public services. Where do we go to obtain the funds needed? The good ole’ taxpayers.
Ramon Valenzuela
East El Paso
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: LETTERS: Utility workers are not the enemy
Reporting by El Paso Times / El Paso Times
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By El Paso Times | USA TODAY Network
